Nigeria champions call for swift response to security threats

From Molly Kilete, Abuja

The Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Kelvin Aneke, has called on African nations to strengthen military co-operation, intelligence sharing and joint operations to tackle terrorism, transnational crimes and other security threats bedevilling the continent.

He made the call at the close of the 2026 African Air Chiefs’ Symposium in Tunis, Tunisia, where regional air force leaders gathered to deepen collaboration on collective security and airpower development.

Aneke, who was unanimously re-elected as Chairman of the Association of African Air Forces for another two-year term, reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to advancing African-led security co-operation and collective responses to emerging threats across the continent.

The symposium brought together Air Chiefs, senior military leaders and strategic partners from across Africa to deepen collaboration in airpower development, interoperability and coordinated security operations aimed at enhancing peace, stability and sustainable development across the continent.

Speaking during the opening ceremony, Air Marshal Aneke stated that the theme of the symposium, “Operationalizing the Association of African Air Forces: A New Era of Shared Responsibility,” reflects the urgent need for African nations to collectively develop practical and sustainable solutions to evolving security challenges. He noted that terrorism, insurgency, transnational organised crime and humanitarian crises continue to threaten peace and prosperity in Africa, thereby necessitating stronger partnerships, intelligence sharing and enhanced operational co-ordination among African air forces. According to the CAS, “No single nation can effectively confront today’s complex security threats alone. Our collective strength lies in our ability to work together, share capabilities and build a united front against forces that threaten the peace and prosperity of our continent.”

The CAS further highlighted that the symposium represents another significant step towards strengthening the operationalisation of the Association through active participation and shared commitment among member nations. He referenced the successful conduct of the Table-Top Exercise during the African Air Chiefs’ Symposium 2025 in Zambia as a major milestone towards the planned Field Training Exercise scheduled for Kenya in February 2027, noting that such initiatives are critical to improving interoperability, operational readiness and coordinated responses to both security and humanitarian challenges across Africa. Activities during the symposium also featured strategic presentations and engagements focused on enhancing the effectiveness and responsiveness of African air forces in addressing contemporary security threats.

On the sidelines of the symposium, the CAS engaged in several bilateral and multilateral meetings with partner air forces and international stakeholders aimed at expanding co-operation in training, joint exercises, intelligence sharing and counter-terrorism operations. The engagements further reinforced the Nigerian Air Force’s commitment to building stronger strategic partnerships that will enhance operational effectiveness, support ongoing counter-insurgency and counter-terrorism efforts, and promote regional stability across the continent.

During the closing ceremony, Air Marshal Aneke was unanimously re-elected as Chairman of the Association of African Air Forces for another two-year term, reflecting the confidence of member nations in his leadership and strategic vision for the Association. In his closing remarks, the CAS stated that the symposium had provided a valuable platform for addressing evolving security challenges and strengthening co-operation towards collective airpower development across African air forces. He emphasised the importance of political support, intelligence sharing, interoperability, air mobility, logistics co-operation and indigenous capacity development in enhancing operational readiness and long-term sustainability. Accordingly, the symposium continues to reinforce the growing determination among African nations to pursue lasting peace, security and prosperity through partnership, innovation and collective action.